Windows only: Professional writers often read their work out loud to make sure it flows well and sounds coherent. If you want to kick back and have the reading done for you, then give Speak Clipboard a try.

This lightweight, free, open-source app is designed for Windows XP, but we were able to get it up and running on Vista (and presumably Windows 7) too—just had to install the .NET 1.1 framework. To make Speak Clipboard talk to you, simply copy text into your clipboard via Right-click -> Copy or Ctrl+C, then fire up the app. You can pause and resume Speak Clipboard or change the reading direction from right to left, all with a single click.

This cool tool appeals to more than just writers. It's a great app to help people with a visual impairment, and a neat way for kids to practice their reading and writing skills. How else would you use Speak Clipboard? Let us know in the comments.